t starr



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. T. STARR. BRBEOH LOADING FIRE ARM.

No. 269,546. Patented Dec. 26, 1882.

(N0 Model.)

8 Sheets-Sheet. 2. E. T. STARR. BRBEGH LOADING FIRE ARM.

Patented Dec. 26, 1882.

(No Model.)

3 SheetsSheet 3. E. T. STARR.

BREEGH LOADING FIRE ARM.

UNITED STATES EBEN T. STARR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,546, dated December26, 1882,

Application filed March 1, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EBEN T. STARR, of thecity and county of New York, in the State of Xew York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Fire- Arms, ofwhich the following is a specificallOll.

My invention relates particularly to that class of breech-loadingfire-arms in which the breech-block, which contains the hammer and otherlock mechanism, is pivoted within the breech-receiver, so that it may beswung backward and downward to open the breech, and in which thenecessary movements of the breechblock and the cartridge-shell extractorare eft'ected by a pivoted or swinging lever; but certain features ofthe invention are applicable to other breech-loading fire-arms.

An important object of my invention is to simplify the breech mechanismof such firearms, and to enable the parts thereof to be made of suchshape and strength that the firearm may be cheaply manufactured, andwill be very durable and not likely to get out of order.

To these ends my invention consists in the combination, in abreech-loading firearm, with a breech-block pivoted to swing backwardand downward and containing the lock mechanism, a lever for operatingthe breeclnblock, pivoted on the same center therewith, and abreech-receiver, the said breech-block and breech-receiver havingbetween them a bore or socket, formed partly in the rear wall of each,of a locking bolt or key which is connected with said lever so as to beoperated thereby, and which fits said bore or socket, and thereby holdsthe breech-block against movement either in a backward or lateraldirection. The portion of the bore or socket which is in thebreech-receiver forms an inclined bearing for the locking bolt or keywhich receives the force ot' the recoil. 1n the above-describedcombination I preferably make the locking bolt or key of circular form,and the bore or socket in the breech-block wherein it tits and theinclincd bearing on the breech-receiver are of corresponding shape, andIform the said bolt or key with a shoulder near its upper end, and thehole in the breech-block witha corresponding shoulder, whereby lprovidcfor first moviug the bolt or key independently of the breech-block towithdraw it from between the latter and the bearing on thelneech-recciver, and for drawing down the breech-block by the continuedmovement of the bolt, by reason of the shoulder on the bolt acting uponthe shoulder on the breech-block.

The invention also consists in the combination, with the breech-blockand breech-receiver above described, ot' a locking key or bolt having anotch in its rear side and an operatinglever having aforwardly-projecting hook engaging with said notch, whereby I provide asimple and strong direct connection between the bolt or key and itsoperating-lever.

The invention also consists in the combination, with the pivoted orswinging hammer ot' a-fire-arm, of a spiral inainspring and anextensible core or guide therefor, fitting between the swinging hammerand a tixcd abutment for the spring, and composed of two parts adaptedto slide one within the other.

The invention also consists in the combination, with the breech-blockand the hammer having a recess in its back, of a spiral mainspring andan extensible core thcretor,Qneend of which is pivoted to thebreeclrblock to form an abutment, and the other end of which is roundedto fit in the recess in the hammer, and which is composed of two partsadapted to slide one within the other.

The invention also consists in the combination, with the above-describedbreech-receiver, breech-block, lever, and locking bolt or key, ofahannnerhavinga projection upon itstumbler, which is brought against thelever in cocking the hammer and prevents the lever from being swungdownward to withdraw the locking bolt or key while the hammer is atfull-cock.

The invention also consists in the combina tion, with the barrel andbreech-block, of a shell-extractor adapted to slide backward and forwardbelow the barrel, having an upward projection at its rear end forengaging with a shell, and bifurcated or forked at its front end, alever for operating the breech-block, provided with a horn which tits inthe fork of said extractor, and serves to move the extractor rearward toextract a shell, while it is moved forward by the breech-block inclosing the breech, anda spring, one end of which enters the fork insaid extract r and bears upon said horn.

In the accompa ying drawings. Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectionof the breech portion of a fire-arm embodying my invention, showing thebreech closed. Fig. 2 represents a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 representsa view similar to Fig. 1 with the breech open. Fig. 4 represents a viewsimilar to Fig. 1 with the hammer cocked. Fig. 5 represents a transversesection on the dotted line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 represents acorresponding section on the dotted line 3 3 Fig. 1. Fig. 7 representsan inverted plan view of the shell-extractor. Fig. 8 represents aperspective view thereof, and Fig. 9 represents a plan view of theextractor, the end portion of the lever which engages therewith, and.the spring for acting upon the said lever.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

A designates the barrel of the fire-arm, and B designates the mortisedbreech-receiver.

G designates the breech-block, which tits in the breech-receiver and isfulcrumed upon a pin or pivot, to. on which it may be swung downward andbackward to open the breech. The breech-block is mortised, so as toreceive within it the several parts of the lock mechanism, and its rearwall or end is shaped correspondingly to the rearwall, B,of thebreech-receiver, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

-D designatesaleverfor operating the breechblock, and the form of whichis clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3, and'et. This lever tits between the sidewalls or cheeks of the breech-block O, and is tulcrumed on the same pinor pivot, a between said side walls or cheeks, but so that it and thebreech-block may swing thereon independently of each other.

In the rear part of the breech-block U is a locking bolt or key, E, hererepresented as of cylindric form and fitting in a bore or socket, E, inthe breech-block, which is formed partly in the rear wall of thebreech-block and partly in the breech-receiver. The upper end portion ofthis bolt or key is larger in diameter than the portion below it, so asto form a shoulder, c, and the upper portion of the hole E iscounterbored, so as to form a shoulder, 0, against which the shoulder onthe boltimpinges when the bolt is drawn down.

In the rear side of the bolt or key E, near its lower end, is a notch,d, and upon the lever D is a strong forwardly-projecting hook, d, whichenters the notch d, and by this means 1 form a simple and very strongdirect connection between the bolt or key and the lever D.

From Fig. lit will be clearly seen that when the breech of the fire-armis closed there is a considerable distance between the shoulder c on thepin or bolt and the shoulder c on the breech-block G, and consequentlywhen the bolt or key is depressed its first movement is independent ofthe breech block until. the

shoulder c strikes the shoulder c, whereupon the continued movement ofthe lever D and bolt or key may draw down the breech-block to openthe-breech.

The enlarged upper end of the bolt or key E fits directly between thebreech-block and the rear wall, B, of the breech-receiver, and theportion of the bore or socket E which is in the receiver forms abearing, 0 which is inclined upward and backward from the portion belowit. This inclined bearing is nearly or cxactlyat right angles to thedirection in which the force of the recoil acts when the fire-arm isdischarged, and consequently the said hearing forms a solid abutment,which receives the force of the recoil and prevents the breechblock frommovement away from the breech. The locking bolt or key is entirelywithin the side walls of the breech-block, and one advantage of makingthe said bolt or key of cylindrical form is that the hole in thebreech-block and the inclined seat or bearing 0 may be readily formed bydrilling, whereby cheapness of construction is secured.

It will be'seen that, inasmuch as the bore F/ is torined partly in thebreech-block and partly in the ln-eech-receiver, the locking bolt or keyholds the breech-block not only against backward movement, butagainstlateral movement; and hence the mortise in the breech-receiver whichreceives the breech-block may be made wide enough so that dirt will notbe retained between the sides of the breech-block and breech-receiver,and so cause the breech-block to jam.

F designates the swinging hammer, which is pivoted by a pin, 0, in thebreech-block O, and G designates the mainspring thereof, which is ofspiral form. The mainspring G is arranged upon an extensible core, whichis composed of a tubular portion,f, which has formed upon it a shoulder,f, for one end of the spring to bear against, and apin,f fitting andadapted to slide within the tubular portion, and having an eye. fagainst which the other end or" said spring bears. The eyef fits betweenthe side walls of the breechblock U, as shown in Fig. 6, and is securedby a pin, g, which is inserted through it and the breech-block and formsa fixed abutment for the spring to work against. The end of the tubularportionfof the core is rounded or convex at the end, and fits into aconcave recess,f in the back of the hammer F, as shown clearly in Fig.6, and it will be readily seen that the extensible core forms a guidefor the mai uspring G and accommodates itself to the extension andcontraction thereof. When the hammer is cocked the mainspring is broughtnearly into line with the hammerpivot and the pin g; but as the hammerfalls the end of the core which acts thereon rises more and more abovethe center of the ha mmer-pivot, and consequently the power of thespring constantly increases as the hammer falls and reaches its maximumwhen the hammer strikes the cartridge.

too

.turn or oscillate thereon in the swinging movements of the hammer.

F designates the tumbler of the hammer F, in which are the usualhalf-cocking notch, 71, and cocking-notch i,- and H Hdesignatethetriggerand sear, which are formed in a sin le piece, i'ulcrumed on a. pin,j,which secureit in the breech-block G, and acted on by the usualtrigger-spring, H which has a bearing on the eye f of the mainspringcore and guide, as clearly shown. Onthehammer-tulnblerF,forwardot' thehalf-cock notch h, is a projection, in, which when the hammer is atfull-cock, as shown in Fig. 4, is in contact or almost in contact withthe forward end of the lever D, above its fulcrum-pin ct, and thelevercannot then be swung down because of the forward end thereofstriking against the said projection k, and consequenty the locking boltor key E cannot be drawn down away from the inclined nearing a so longas the hammer is cocked. In the front of the hammer F, and consequentlyabove its pivot e, is a notch, 1., and adjacent thereto is a born orprojection, m, on the lever D. \Vhe'n the lever I) is swung down afterfiring, its first movement causes the horn m to move back the hammeruntil the born at engages with the notch I, which is sufficient to bringthe halfcocking notch IL forward ofthe point of the sear H, andconsequently it will be seen that the lever D cannot draw down thelocking bolt or key E sufficiently to remove it from the inclinedbearing 0 until the hammer is moved sufliciently to carry thehalf-cocking notch it beyond or forward of the point of the sear H. Whenthe lever D is swung up to close the breech the born at acts in thereverse direction on the hammer, and, taking into the notch I, ittendstodrawthehammerforward,and through the hammer raises thebreech-block. The lever and breech-block are thereby caused to maintainthe same relative positions which they bear to each other when thebreech is open, as seen in Fig. 3, during the whole closing movement ofthe breechblock, and not until the breech-block is fully raised and inproper position to close the breech does the lever commence to move uprelatively to and into the breech-block to move the locking bolt or keyup intoits locking position between the breechblock and the inclinedbearing 0 This movement of the breech-block and lever together until thebreech-block is fully raised is very advantageous, because thereby thelocking bolt or key is prevented from bearing and rubbing on the rearwall, B, of the breech-receiver B, as it would it the locking bolt orkey were moved relatively to the breech-block during the first returnmovement ot the lever instead of by the final movement thereof.

In lieu of being shouldered,the key or bolt E may be straightthroughout,orit may be tapered upward more or less throughout the whole or a partof its length, and the bore E be made straight or with a correspondingtaper, so that the bolt or key, when pushed up, will wedge itselfbetween the breech-block and the recoilbearing 0.

I designates the shell'extractor, which is fitted and adapted to slidein grooves or ways n in the side walls of the breech-receiver below thebarrel A, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The extractor has at its rear endan upwardly-extending portion which is about equal in width to thediameter of the cartridge-chamber, and is adapted to bear upon nearlyhalt'thc circumference of the tiange of the shell, thereby giving it avery broad and strong hold thereon. The extractor I is bifurcated orforked at its forward end, as shown clearly in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, andthe lever D is provided with a projection or born, 0, which fits betweenthe arms of the ex tractor, within the fork, and acts upon the rear wallor end of the fork to draw the extractor backward and eject the shell.The lever only acts to draw the extractor backward, and the latter ispushed forward in front of the flange of a cartridge by the breech-blockU in its closing movement.

J designatesthc spring which holds thelcver D against dropping down whenthe breech is closed. Itis attached to the under side of the barrel Aatp, and its rear end or tip is received in the fork or bifurcation ofthe extractor I and rests upon the projection or horn 0 on the hammer.The essential advantage of making the extractor forked at the front endis that the end of the spring J may then project into the fork and beardirectly upon the horn 0, which it could not do it the extractor werenot forked, and the fore-stock can be made less in depth than would benecessary it the spring worked down into it.

By my invention 1 provide a breech-loading fire-arm which may be cheaplyconstructed and comprises but few parts, and in which the parts are ofsuch strength and so connected that a very durable weapon is produced,which will not be likely to get out of order, and in which the liabilityof accidents is obviated.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a breech-loading fire-arm, the combina tion, with a breech-blockpivoted to swingbackward and downward and containing the lock mechanism,a lever for operating said breechblock, pivoted on the same centertherewith, aml a breech-receiver, the said breech-block andbreech-receiver having between them a bore or socket, formed partly inthelrear wall of each, of a locking bolt or key which is connected withsaid lever so as to be operated thereby, and which fits said bore orsocket, and thereby holds said breech block both against backward andlateral movement, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the breech-block U,

IIO

Its

containing the lock mechanism, and the re- I mer and a breech-blockwherein the same is ceiver B, having between them the bore or socket E,for med partly in each, and the former having" the shoulder c, the leverD, fulcrumed on the same center as said breech-block, and the lockingbolt or key E, connected with said lever and provided with the shoulderc, and fitting said bore-socket, whereby the breechblock is held againstboth backward and lateral movement, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the pivoted breechblock and thebreech-receiver, having between them the bore or socket, formed partlyin the iear walls of each, of the locking bolt or key titling said boreor socket, so as to hold the b1 eech-block against both backward andlateral movement, and having the notch in its rear side, and the leverfulcrumed on the same center with the breech-block, and provided withthe forwardly-projecting hook which en- 'ters said notch and forms adirect connection between said locking bolt or key and said le ver,substantially as described.

4. In a breech-loathing tire-arm, the combination, with the swingingbreech-block containing the lock mechanism, of a spiral mainspringfitting between the hammer and a fixed alutment in the breech-block, andan extensible core and guide for the spring, composed of two partsfitting one within the other, sub stantially as described.

In a fire-arm, the combination, with a hammer having a cavity orrecess,f in its back, of a spiral mainspring and an extensible coretherefor, the end of which is rounded so as to fit said cavity orrecess, and which is composed of two parts adapted to slide one withintheother, substantially as described.

6. In a fire-arm, the combination, with a hampivoted, ot' a spiralmainspring, an extensible core and guide therefor, composed of two partsadapted to slide one within the other, and one of which is provided withan eye fitting snugly between the walls of the breech-block, and a pininserted through said eye, and upon which the spring is suspended andoscillates, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the breech-block C, the hammer F, having thecavity or recessf, the extensib e core, composed of the tubular partf,havingarounded end and the shoulder f, and the pinf provided with theeyef and the pin g, substantially as described. I

8. The combination, with a pivoted breechblock and a breech-receiverhaving in their adjacent rear walls a hole or socket, a locking bolt orkey therein, and a lever for operating said breech-block and bolt orkey, of a hammer havinga projection upon its tumbler, which is broughtagainst the lever in cocking the hammer, and prevents the lever frombeing swung downward to withdraw the locking bolt or key While thehammer is at full-cock, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the barrel Aand breech-block U, of theextractor I, bifurcated or forked at its front end, the lever 1),provided with a horn, 0, working in the fork or bifurcation of saidextractor, and the spring J, the end of which enters said fork orbifurcation and bears upon said horn, substantially as described.

EBEN T. STARR.

\Vitnesses U. P. WHITNEY, HENRY '1. BROWN.

